[Screening for diabetic retinopathy in the Centre-Val de Loire region: A study based on the French national...

The main objective of this study was to investigate the rate of ophthalmological screening for diabetic retinopathy in diabetic individuals in the Centre-Val de Loire (CVDL) region. This study secondarily aimed to identify factors associated with regular ophthalmological screening.

Data were extracted from the French national healthcare database (SNDS). Individuals were identified on the basis of reimbursements for antidiabetic medications. Patients who were identified as having at least one reimbursed eye examination between 2015 and 2016 were considered as having regular follow-up.

In total, 118,181 diabetic individuals residing in CVDL were identified in the SNDS, and 74,048 had undergone ophthalmological screening. The rate of eye examination was 62.7% between 2015 and 2016 and was highly variable within the region (from 65.6% in Loiret to 54.0% in Cher). The main factors associated with regular eye screening were: follow-up with an established primary care physician (OR=2.88), regular follow-up with a diabetologist (OR=2.14), and regular follow-up with an internist (OR=1.57).

This study suggests that ophthalmological screening for diabetic retinopathy in individuals with diabetes in the CVDL region could be significantly improved, particularly in rural areas. Factors influencing compliance with follow-up are multiple but appear mainly related to the patients' quality of overall medical management. These findings highlight the need for public health policies to improve detection and prevention of diabetic retinopathy by promoting comprehensive medical care for diabetic individuals.